Sweet Words from Maine

A New Day…

As the rising sun drives darkness to the other side of the earth, a breathtaking, sky beautifully announces another day to continue our story and to possibly change its narrative.

Imagine how spectacular the dawning of creation must have been! God was impressed enough to begin His story with humanity …God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light/ And God saw that the light was good/ Then he separated the light from the darkness/ God called the light “day” and the darkness “night”/ And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. (Genesis 1:3-5 (NLT2)

Some consider the Genesis account as simply poetic literature and an imaginative attempt to explain human origin; others believe that God’s speaking light into existence was one of His first, literal, creative acts related to life on this earth. Whatever we are on the spectrum of beliefs, we need light to live both physically and spiritually. Those who experience Seasonal Affective Light Disorder know that.

Surprisingly, we tend to live in spiritual shadows, but when God steps onto the scene, there is light because “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.”(1 John 1:5) When we begin to understand who God is, who we are, who we are meant to be, and how to become that person, He dispels the darkness of our insecurities and doubts and of our feelings of being minimized and unloved. Also, God doesn’t let us drift into self delusion and self concealment where we deny or justify our flaws and avoid responsibility for consequences of our inappropriate behaviors and attitudes, where we are unabashedly self righteous, biased, judgmental, unforgiving, unrepentant, and detached from the injustices and misery around us, and even where we can lack integrity, be dishonest, treacherous, greedy, malicious, proud, immoral and selfish and not assume guilt. It is obvious we need transcendent light in order to become emotionally and spiritually healthy.

We find that illumination through Scripture, which is a “lamp” and a “light” for our journeys, (Psalm 119:11, 105) and in Christ, who is the “Light of the World. ” (John 8:12) God does not expose us to condemn us; He informs or enlightens us in order to heal us. As we understand our darkness and need for redemption in view of God’s holiness, we begin to comprehend the depth of God’s great love and compassion for us. He rescues us “from the kingdom of darkness and transfer us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

As he stood awaiting condemnation before Pilate, Christ stated that the purpose of his incarnation was “to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate’s subsequent question may have been cynical, but it is a universal and sincere one: “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38) Truth is the light we all seek, and Christ said he was that light, that he was Truth. (John 14:6) What are we to do with those statements?

We are to be wise and to “redeem the time.” (Ephesians 5:15-16) and to “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8-15) (Matthew 5:16) In other words, we should face every sunrise in the context of who we are meant to be as spiritual people because of God’s beautiful mercy and grace that put us into His Kingdom. We find hope and wholeness in faith.

The point: our narrative is best written with God’s help. Those who revere God and “esteem His Name,” (Malachi 3:16) have been promised that ^”…, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” ( Malachi 4:2) That dawn will fill the heavens with great beauty and joy. God’s steadfast love and faithfulness will push the darkness away and reveal a glorious righteousness which will bring healing for all humanity’s injustices.

The Way Ahead…

Imperfection: A View of Cadillac Mountain, Maine

Looking across this room through the imperfections of an old, outside window pane to the magnificent Frenchman’s Bay and Cadillac Mountain, we are given a visual parable of how difficult it is to see the road ahead when viewed through the tears and confusion of a tough journey. Beyond the pane lie the beautiful skies and mountains of Acadia which can be viewed more comprehensibly only by advancing beyond the obstructing window.

The strain of tribulations, the pain of unfathomable human tragedies, the negative impact of present sadness, disappointment, or moral failure taint our perception of where the future leads or how bright it may become. Can one regain sure footing, readjust to adversity or regain losses? Will the tears stop flowing and the pain lessen? Are the broken circumstances redeemable? Will the pastures turn green and the waters become still again? Will we ever regain equilibrium and have peace and joy as our world spins out of control? Is it all bleakness and no hope?

We tend to associate meaning and joy with good times, happy moments, positive happenings, and special people in whom we find pleasure. But what happens with loss, difficult times and offensive, oppressive people? We often find ourselves in the world of “what has been” or “what might have been” or “what might be.” We all seek a world free from the baggage and consequences of our misdeeds and bad behaviors. Re-gardless of our worldview, we desire redemption! We generally want to be a better person with a rewarding future. We need and want forgiveness and opportunity for renewal. All around this earth, people seek those things as they offer prayers, as they confess and plead and lament and sacrifice to all kinds of gods for their intervention and help.

All Scripture presents God as our Creator, who is also our sovereign, personal, benevolent Father, who is present and endures with us and whose holiness and justice bring us righteousness. Moses repeatedly reminded the Israelites that God was “concerned” or knew or understood them and their situations and that He was their “rescuer” and would keep His covenant with them.(Exodus 2, 3, 6) Their role was to revere God, walk in his ways, to love and “serve” him with all their being, and to observe the Lord’s guidelines for their lives for their “own good.” (Deuteronomy 10:12) The promise was that things would go well with them if they did what was “good and right in the eyes of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 12:28) God is always concerned for the well being of His children even in a fallen, broken world where evil happens. The reality of Jesus’ life is the greatest evidence of God’s loving concern and helps us understand how desperate but how meaningful life can be.

Christ was born into poverty and controversy. He was misunderstood by all who knew him, including his family. He was minimized and victimized by gossip and innuendo, disbelief, oppression, prejudice and hatred. His life was difficult and lonely and exhausting. He experienced sorrow and sadness, grief and loss, the death of friends. He wept and was sad for the vulnerability and folly of mankind but was always grateful, seeing life through opportunity and purpose.He was humiliated, rejected, abandoned, betrayed, treated unjustly, violently brutalitized and died in the shame of a wrongful, cruel death. He was strong in spirit but never rebellious, always submitting to the will of His Father even in the worst adversity and personal danger. A person of integrity, he spoke and lived truth. He courageously and compassionately faced and forgave his detractors and tormentors. He had unwavering faith in the love and care of his heavenly Abbe, for whom he joyfully lived and fulfilled the purposes set before him. He lived as he taught us how to live—seeking the Kingdom of God always in the present circumstances, not anxiously looking for what happens next, and trusting God’s provision and strength for the day.

Christian doctrine perceives in Jesus, a Rescuer, a Savior, a Redeemer who was tested and lived without sin. He who knew no sin became sin for us and gave us his righteousness that we might live with God (11 Corinthians 5:21) Israel knew the Law as God’s wisdom. The Christian focus is on Christ. He is the one who has walked earthly and spiritual journeys like ours and has finished his course with joy. (Hebrews 12:2) The New Testament shows us that Christ is God’s wisdom to us. He is what the Law could not do because we can not keep it. He is our righteousness, redemption, and hope. He is our confidence for the presence and future.

There is an old African-American spiritual which succinctly summarizes these thoughts. The multiple verses of “He’s got the whole world in His hands “ capture truths from several Psalms including Psalm 47 about God’s reign over the cosmos including His care of His people.

“He’s got you and me, brother, in His hands… He’s got the whole world in His hands” “He’s got you and me, sister, in His hands… He’s got the whole world in His hands…”

Those hands came to us in human form and were pierced for our redemption, peace and hope. They sustain, protect, and lift us up in the winds and rains and tempests of life. Even when we fear our faith will fail, or when temptation is great or when hope seems gone and love is cold “He will hold me fast/He will hold me fast/For my Savior loves me so/He will hold me fast.” ( from the hymn by Ada Habershon 1861-1918)

The way ahead is more clearly understood in the context of faith. God deals powerfully with our past, is present with us now, and opens the future to the best possible, ultimate results.

Brave hearts…

Gull challenging the surf at Schoodic Point, Acadia National Park

This gull isn’t perturbed about the mostrous wave threatening to overwhelm it. Its confident stance is a reminder of what the prophet Isaiah realized and expressed to Israel:“…listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:1-3 (NLT2)

Life is undeniably filled with pitfalls, dangers, and disasters which threaten to overwhelm our person, families and nation. We have no reasonable expectation or promise of protection from pain, suffering, disappointment, illness, or loss. Despite that, one of the more common Biblical commands is “Do not be afraid.” Frequently coupled with that command is the command against discouragement. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and be courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)(1 Chronicles 28:20)“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15)

Anxiety and discouragement occur when we lose confidence in God. If we perceive He is unseeing, distant, uncaring, unable, and uninvolved, if we sense there is little or no possibility of resolving our situation, if we feel we are alone, our faith waivers. Where or on whom we focus in life will define our fear-self or God? On one occasion when the disciples were caught on the sea in a great storm and were desparate and frightened, Christ “rebuked” the wind and quieted the storm and then asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? (Mark 4:49-40) The power of God’s presence makes brave those hearts which are challenged by adversity. Holding genuine belief in God’s Sovereign power and remembering His loving care lead to courageous faith in devastastion and loss.

Moses repeatedly exhorted the Israelites to never forget what wonders God had done for them. (Deuterononmy 6) Christ knew how desperate life could be and taught his followers not to borrow trouble but to always keep the end goal in mind, to live as Kingdom dwellers always trusting the Sovereign King, who always did good for them. (Matthew 6:25-34) Deliberately remembering what God in Christ has done for us reorients us away from negative thinking to gratitude. The Apostle Paul, who experienced all manner of suffering, reminded the Roman Church: “We can rejoice, too, … For we know how dearly God loves us…… When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”

He also said that we can rejoice “when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.“Pain and disappointments can bring a clarity about our humanity, about our strengths and weaknesses, about what is meaningful, about motivations and goals, and about mortality and God. Trials refine and confirm faith in the “One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy and who dwells “with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.(Isaiah 57:15)

There will be “deep waters,” “rivers of difficulty” and “fires of oppression.” There will be times when we are “utterly helpless” and our spirits need reviving. However, God walks with those who have “contrite hearts,” hearts of faith which rest in His ability to ransom souls and situatons and walk with Him in the dark moments. Gospel singer Linda Randle expresses it this way in her song ” God on the Mountain”.

We talk of faith way up on the mountain/Talk comes so easy when life’s at its best/
Now down in the valleys, of trials and temptations/That’s where your faith, is really put to the test/For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley/When things go wrong, he’ll make it right/And the God of the good times/Is still God in the bad times/The God of the day, is still God in the night

“The Times, They are A-changing “

Fall’s eye-catching changes are striking in Maine. Spring’s greening and summer’s flowering end with a dramatic flair of color. Apple orchards and blueberry fields turn red. Skies become bright blue and cloudless. Nearly overnight, orange, red and yellow leaves pepper and paint roadside vistas until they drop and leave the forests naked. Although anticipated and enjoyed for its beauty, autumn is met with strange mixture of nostalgia for the passing season and mild dread for the long, bleak winter ahead.

Nearly 60 years ago, Bob Dylan’s 1960’s ballad “Times They are A-Changing” sensed and presaged the restlessness and convulsions that America would undergo during that and the following decades: assassinations, war, violent racial protests, governmental distrust, and changing mores. The ballad’s last stanza ends with ” the order is rapidly fading,” a fact we sense as our nation evolves into something unfamiliar, and we have apprehensions about what that might or might not be. Some general concerns include lack of civility and divisive politics, fears of government overreach and dogmatic ideologies, lack of accountability on multiple levels, radicalism, changing social mores and family structure, small towns struggling to maintain viability and community, climatic conditions and natural disasters, and social injustices. There is angst enough without the added anxieties of a pandemic! We desire stability as the world swirls uncontrollably around us.

In seasons of suffering and loss or difficulties and disappointments, we may become fearful and disillusioned and question if God’s dependability is overated. However, He could not be God if He did not keep His Word. The Psalmist reassures that we can have absolute confidence in His promises. “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.” (Psalm 33:4)

Since God is immutable, we can extrapolate all His ancient promises to meaningful promises for all who have faith in Him today, sweet promises of His presence and aid: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) “They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

God was Israel’s Rock and Refuge. They found constancy in God’s integrity. As Joshua prepared to die he told the Israelites that despite their fickleness, “…Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled” (Joshua 21:43-45) Many years later, the prophet Isaiah would echo that truth: “O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago” (Isaiah 25:1).Daniel of lion’s den fame knew that God is trustworthy and will do what He says He will do. “I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,”(Daniel 9:4)

So, what is His “covenant of love” with us? It is unchanged! He promises redemption and reconciliation, His presence and protection, His guidance and strength, and a future Kingdom of justice and goodness to those who choose to live under His authority. He will forgive sins and restore humanity to fellowship with Him when we come to Him through faith in Christ, who bid all to come to him to find relief from heavy burdens(Matthew 11:28) and claimed that whoever trusted his redemptive work should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Scripture reveals that God is faithful to His holy character, His Word, and His people. In Him is “no shadow of turning” (James 1:17) He is powerful in the life of the believer and always working so that “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) “ …the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”(2 Thessalonians 3:3) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) His promised presence is the source of great confidence. “He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ^“So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6) That promise will culminate one day in a new Heaven and a new Earth. “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am….I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:1-6) All creation will be completely renewed to its original state and purposes. The old gone! Everything new! Redemption will be complete! No sin, no illness, no suffering, no death! Justice will prevail! (Revelation 21)

Times may be changing, but God isn’t! The Psalmist knew that. In Psalm 126, he extolled God’s goodness for twenty five verses, ending each verse with the words “for his steadfast love endures forever.” The prophet Jeremiah said it beautifully, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Because of those facts, we can share in the truth that Zephaniah expressed centuries ago: “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love…”(Zephaniah 3:17)

Me? A Servant?

Sadly, the door mantle of this neglected, deserted house boasts an ancient cautionary message that is a contemporary reminder of our culture’s fading interest in God. When some Israelites began to follow the worship practices and the gods of local tribes. Moses’ successor, Joshua, who had led the Israelites into the Promised Land, exhorted them to make a conscious decision: follow other gods or Sovereign God. It is impossible to do both. “ But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD,” he told them. (Joshua 24:15)T

Serving and worshiping other “gods” is an odd thought for most of us. We may not see ourselves as worshipers or servants of anything or anyone let alone other gods, but passions, practices, possessions, pursuits, people, and philosophies to which we devote time, energy and resources can distract, preoccupy, and control us. They become self-serving, conscious decisions that can take precedent over God ‘s principles for life and prevent us from serving in the manner Joshua meant .”Serving” God is being what He created us to be (humans with characters like His), doing what He has asked us to do (caretaking of creation and its creatures, helping each other, and producing others with characters like God’s), and living according to principles that are spiritually healthy for us. In other words, submitting to God’s wisdom, authority, principles, and purposes is our service.

Jesus put “serving” into perspective when he was asked what working for God looked like. “The work of God is to believe on him who He sent,” he asserted. (John 6:29) Trusting what Christ taught and relying upon his redemptive work is the work of faith. Simplifying how that looks, he declared that keeping the moral law meant loving God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves. (Mark 12:30-31)

Although our efforts are frequently not perfect, for the most part, we in rural America do a fair job of loving our neighbors. We are generally caring, hugely generous, and compassionate. We are empathetic and encouraging. We sacrifice for each other. We show moral courage. We rally when our neighbors or communities are in need and suffering, and when our churches and charities ask for help for the afflicted, impoverished and persecuted, or when our country calls us to duty. Many of our neighbors pour their lives and professions into benefiting us.

However, the first half of the moral law, “Loving God with all our being”, is more difficult to comprehend and to fulfill. It is an anomalous idea in a materialistic, humanistic society where the secular dismiss and the religious are confused about the reality of God, where the doctrine of God’s direct involvement in a person’s life is considered an absurdity, where relativism eschews the thought of God’s absolute, moral authority to define how to live healthy, enjoyable lives, and where independence, self worth, self affirmation, self fulfillment and self-aggrandization are promoted as our ultimate purpose, The thought of Sovereign God and of “serving” Him has become total gobbledygook.

We can serve self or someone else or some other purpose on our own terms and for our own reasons but not God. Servanthood is not a matter of convenience but is the choice to be God’s new creation. “The just shall live by faith.” (Roman 1:17) Such faith comes through repentance and belief in the reconciliatory work of Christ on our behalf and obedience to His authority. That means accepting God’s grace and living it, learning how to walk as Christ walked, thinking as he thought and taught, being humble and submissive, giving grace and mercy, being sensitive and compassionate, denying self, even loving enemies and persecutors, granting and seeking forgiveness, being peaceful and seeking peace and not being vengeanceful, enduring in faith, and being confident that God will bring ultimate justice. Such a journey of transformed thinking and behavior is demanding, halting, stuttering, but hopefully progressive.

From our beginnings we have chosen to live as we want! But living to magnify God, to act in the Name of God and not in the name of self, and to honor a relationship in which Jesus is Lord requires more than determination. It requires the presence of God in our lives. He desires for us to know Him first. Then the prophet Micah gives us the clue to serving Him: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

At our end, when faced with the summation of our lives, the question will not be whether we lived within the context of common good but whether we lived in the larger context of knowing God and serving His purposes for us and becoming who we are meant to be.

“….whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

What Lies Behind the Fog…

Mark Island Lighthouse, Winter Harbor, Maine

When the summer fog rolls in, the little island lighthouse disappears. If the winds blow just right, the fog breaks briefly and allows enough light through its wispy mist to give a fleeting glimpse of this hidden gem.

We don’t always have clarity in life. We may know something is real, but it lies somewhere beyond our senses or our intellectual capabilities or our ability to adequately articulate. We long for answers about origins and endings and are inquisitive about the meaning and purposes that lie in between. We observe and contemplate the struggles of the living and the dead through history, the arts, science, literature, religions, biographies, geography, photo albums and ancestry searches. We plumb the minds of our elders and intellectuals whether philosophers, scientists, seers, or theologians. We cobble together our understanding of life and its meaning from snippets of information, from brief revelations, and from partial answers about ourselves, about others, and about our existence. We attempt to connect the fragmented dots of blurred perceptions, distorted thinking, and mere theories and base our world views on limited information. These views either include or exclude God.

Is there a sovereign God? Or multiple gods? Or any god at all? Our judgments about the possibility of God and His nature and activity will depend on our sources of information.

Scripture says there are at least three good places to begin the search. Simple observations and scientific explorations of the natural world are a prime sources of revelation of the magnificence, creativity, purposes, and power of God. (Romans 1:18)Also, the record of Biblical History reveals God involvement and presence with humanity, His immeasurably great love and patience for mankind, His principles for healthy living, His desires for justice, His willingness to forgive lost and impure people, and His action to redeem women and men from evil. That is the great Gospel message of Christ, who is the image of God’s character in human form and is the mediator of God’s immense love, and our redemption, and is the foundation of the believer’s faith.

Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me/And whoever sees me sees him who sent me/ I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. (John 12:44-46)

If we want to see, we have to search, to peer into the mists and await for breaks when the sun shines through. Scripture’s light illuminates the journey. It penetrates the murkiness and gives us glimpses of God’s great desire for us to know Him.

(Colossians 1:15-19)(John 3:16)(Romans 8:38-39)( 1Corinthians 1:30)(Hebrew 12:2) (11 Timothy 3:16)(Hebrews 4:12)

Calmness in the Chaos

“Between the dark and the daylight/When the night is beginning to lower/Comes a pause in the day’s occupations/That is known as the Children’s Hour.” (Henry W. Longfellow)

The closure of a stress filled day as ” the night is beginning to lower” is often met with a sense of relief and release. The day is relinquished to its inevitable end, and work is laid aside. Completion! Rest! Relaxation! And for those with families, the day is topped off with sweet moments of being with those deeply loved…until ….we turn on the evening news.

The nightly litany is long and tortures us with the incredible melancholy hanging over our world. Our peace and joy drain into the abyss of unending, prevailing miseries of suffering people: a terrible pandemic, divisive politics, repression, toppling nations, terrorism, war and poverty, earthquakes, massive droughts, horrible fires and floods, climate change, horrible air quality, brutality, racism, and crumbling values. After twenty minutes of negativity, a restlessness and an angry sense of helplessness rise within us; we become saddened, bewildered, and anxious by the chaotic, unhappy state of humanity. Mental, emotional, spiritual fatigue creeps in over time.

When the Psalmist faced his unstable world (Psalm 46), he was not shaken. “….we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea/though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” He had reason not to fear. He trusted God. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble….”

Because we possess broken, fallen natures which lack integrity, we live in an imperfect, contentious world where greed, selfishness, violence and injustices have injurious sway and result in social and political divisions, unpleasant, unwarranted events, unhealthy relationships, and a progressively immoral, violent culture. We do need “refuge and strength.”

The world may shake apart, but the Psalmist knew that Sovereign God guarantees safe passage. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” “God will help… when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.” “The LORD of hosts is with us…” (Psalm 46:1-11)

“Be still.” Become centered in God. The Psalmist found encouragement, reassurance, confidence and rest in God’s character, sovereignty, and promises of redemption. Christ entered history’s overarching story to fulfill the promise of victory over evil. Through him come forgiveness, relief from the condemnation of our inner struggles and actions, reconciliation with God, eternal hope, and the promise of rest and peace for our souls. ^“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”( Matthew 11:28-30) He taught that the pathway to God comes via repentance and belief and that the road to joy is living out the grace God gives us. “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:9-12)

The world will always be chaotic and filled with nightly “bad” news, but the Good News is that God had always been and will always remain true to His immutable nature. He is steadfast in love and enduring in faithfulness and will never desert humanity, who, though fallen, are meant for good.

Trust fully. Wait patiently. Rest confidently. Love as Christ does with grace, forgiveness and sacrifice. Live joyfully with purpose. Know that the ultimate victory has been won even though the battle rages.

^“For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” (1 John 5:4 (NLT2)

A World of Symbols

Our world is filled with signs and objects which stand for attributes, concepts, or abstract ideas. Wedding rings remind us of love and commitment; product brands speak to us of style or quality. Emblems identify organization; Oscars and Emmys and academic cords connote excellence. Portraits, statues, and photographs depict historical events and thus help us preserve our cultural, national, and personal memories and heritages. We hold tightly to different religious traditions and rituals and symbols because they represent deep aspects of our beliefs. Some of us find meaning in the “atomic whirl”, others in lotus flowers and banners. Some of us fly prayer flags or burn incense while chanting mantras; others of us have prayer rugs and bow deeply as we pray facing Mecca. Some of us have dream catchers and ceremonial dances. Some of us light Menorahs, wear skull caps and phylacteries and rock when we pray. Others of us have rosary beads and icons. Some of us sing doxologies and share the wine and bread of communion and rejoice over baptisms.

However, we all share the beauty and grandeur of the heavens and the earth. Lying behind the mysteries of our cosmos’ magnificent and immense complexity is a transcendent power, a greatness, and a precise and caring creativity which should at least raise the question of God’s existence. Scripture says creation is definite proof of God’s existence and leaves us no excuse for unbelief. (Romans 1:18) And King David prayed, ^“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.” (from a prayer of King David in 1 Chronicles 29:9-20)

Inspired by a hilltop view of a church spire and the Avon river running through the countryside, F. S. Pierpoint wrote the hymn For the Beauty of the Earth. Each stanza is followed with the phrase; “Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.“

“For the beauty of the earth/For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth/Over and around us lies,

For the beauty of each hour/Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower/Sun and moon and stars of light,

For each perfect gift of thine/To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine/Flowers of earth and buds of heaven,

For thy Church which evermore/Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore/Her pure sacrifice of love,”

The beauty of flowering plants, a bright and clear blue sky, and a new England Church steeple pointed toward the heavens and topped with the symbol of Heaven’s grace to us is a reminder of Sovereign God. Crosses atop many Protestant and Catholic church spires prompt thoughts of incomparable, divine, redemptive love given us in the sacrifice of Christ. They symbolize the possibility of salvation, ultimate victory over death, and eternal hope for all who choose to believe.

“Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.”

An Equal and Beyond Fair Wage!

Raking Blueberries in Whitneyville, Maine

Before technology changed the blueberry industry, almost every kid who grew up in Washington County, Maine earned “back to school” money by spending a few, hot, August days in exhausting, backbreaking blueberry raking along side family, buddies and migrant workers. However, finding reliable seasonal workers and paying them fair wages have troubled Maine farmers for generations.

While addressing misconceptions about the meaning of the Law, Christ utilized similar labor issues in a parable illustrating the wonderful grace that God extends to all mankind.(Matthew 20:1-16) He spoke of the “master of a house” who needed workers for his vineyard. Arising early, he went to the market place where he hired workers for an agreed upon day’s wage of a denarius. As the day progressed, he needed a larger workforce. Returning to the market place four times, he always found others waiting for a job, even at the 11^th hour, the last possible time to obtain work before day’s end.

No reason is given for these workers’ late search for employment. Maybe they had foolishly whiled away the day before realizing their need? Perhaps they had tried other opportunities that didn’t satisfy or pan out? Maybe they had been seeking but did not know where to look and heard about this marketplace last. Whatever the reason, they were desperate. Hope was fading with the daylight. But the “master” was on the outlook for them, discovered them, and offered them an opportunity. They were in such dire straits that they did not even attempt to negotiate a wage. They were at the mercy of the landowner and had to trust his word. He said “… ‘whatever is right, I will give you,’ So they went.”

At the end of the day, the landowner dropped a philosophic and emotionally loaded bombshell. All workers received the same compensation regardless of the number of hours they had worked. Those who worked for an hour received the same total wage as those who had labored all day! Accentuating that fact, the “master” intentionally paid the last-hirers first! So, when the first-hires came up the pay line last, the “master’s” generosity had made an indelible impression. However, his payment plan did not meet any measure of fairness in their minds. They had labored all day in the scorching heat and believed they should have been more highly valued and deserved greater compensation. They opposed and grumbled at the Master.

In its entirety, this story addresses multiple layers of religious thought and behavior and misconceptions, but the fact that God has always valued faith, not performance, is at its core. Jesus’ audience should have known that no one merits God’s approval. Centuries of failed attempts to be holy by keeping the Old Testament Law had proved that sinless perfection is an impossibility for humans. Unless placed within the context of faith in God, good works or good conduct mean nothing to Him, nor does ethnicity or religious affiliation. He is no “respecter” of persons. (Galatians 3:28) Belief, not conduct, is the “work” blessed by God.

Even though God demands holiness and turns away from sin, He extends the grace of forgiveness to both Jews and Gentiles (the world). In great mercy, He has fully paid the price of saving mankind from its rebellious and sinful state. He chooses to see mankind in view of Christ’s sacrifice which is an amazing, surprising, generous, unmerited, fully sufficient, perfect, loving, “once for all” payment for our sinful natures. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2: 8-9 (NLT2). Redemption is entirely God’s doing.

The world rewards performance. God honors faith with grace and mercy “all across the board.” At the end of the day, it is not about who one is or how good one is but is about in whom one trusts to meet eternal needs. God patiently searches for, willingly accepts, and presents the blessings of His Kingdom to all who will come to serve with Him. (11 Peter 3:8-9)

Inaudible Shouts…

Peony at the Azela Garden, Northeast Harbor, Maine

“Magnificent!”. “Glorious!” Beautiful!” Those exclamations echoed around the garden as visitors admired the flowering shrubs and peony blossoms.

The adage that “Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder” holds some truth. We have individual aesthetics or preferences and subjectively value the quality of the tangible or intangible. So, is beauty a reality or an illusion? Is beauty is a perception or an intrinsic quality. Is that peony blossom beautiful when I am not the one admiring it? It is. Independent observers expressed their admiration even when I wasn’t looking.

Thus, another question…Why “beauty?” Does it have a purpose beyond drawing our attention?

Answers might vary depending upon the lens through which one views life. Some believe that we are earth dwellers by happenstance, functioning organisms composed of atoms and molecules somehow directed by complex nucleotides of DNA which originally came from some unexplained source by an inexplicable cosmic accident. If so, the implication would be that “beauty” is merely some chemically induced perception, a mediated reaction identically produced in all humans. However, one has to entertain the question of whether there is purpose beyond the biophysiological for the awe and deep emotions evoked through experiencing and appreciating the diversity and wonder of colors, shapes, sights, sounds and tastes of our expanding universe and the creativity of its inhabitants. Could it be that a good Creator has gifted us with “beauty” as a loving act, as a way for us to relate and know Him better, to sense that He cares and wants to bring enjoyment to our earthly stay?

When circumstances were surprising or difficult, my Grandmother frequently quoted the proverb that “there is reason in all things.” Whether she knew it or not, that is theologically sound! Beautiful “things” should lift our spirits in awe and gratitude for the magnificence of God and His goodness to us just as the Psalmist’s lyrics proclaim : “Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.” (Psalm 65:8 (NLT2)

With inaudible shouts, this peony inspires quiet exclamations of joy!